Capitalizing on Vacation "Time"

Time. If there is one resource teachers never have enough of, it would be time: time to plan; time to meet; time to review with students; time to drill missing skills; time for information to take shape in young minds…time…time… time.  In the array of uses for this resource, the first to go when time is at premium is the time to play with ideas, the time to explore, and the time for children to begin the process of making sense of what they encounter.  The latter is often referred to as “making meaning.”  True learning requires understanding, memory, practice and purpose.  When children have time to make sense of what they have learned, they begin to recognize that the learning has a purpose. They also see themselves as having more control of the learning process- a critical step to being learners, even outside of school. One extra source for time is vacation.

In some ways, given the fact that school time is often tapped to the maximum, the ideal time for children to stop and think about their learning, to explore, to play with ideas and finally to “make meaning” for themselves is school vacation.  The challenge for parents, who now become the teacher, is two-fold:  1) consider experiences that will encourage students to experience ideas and 2) encourage children to think for themselves about those ideas. Luckily, the Boston area is rich with experiences, some very inexpensive, that provide children with exposure to ideas.   

For step one, the following links offer programs during the April vacation that Cunniff families might enjoy while also keeping young minds and bodies active:

Massachusetts Audubon Society- Spring Bird Walk (Cost: $3.00)

http://www.massaudubon.org/Nature_Connection/Sanctuaries/Boston/listing.php?program_code=783-BN11SP4

Boston Children’s Museum (Check the Public Library for Discount Coupons; Admission $15.00)

http://www.bostonkids.org/calendar/index.html#week4

Children’s Discovery Museum in Acton (Admissions: $10.50)

http://www.discoverymuseums.org/upcoming-events-calendar

Harvard Museum of Natural History

http://www.hmnh.harvard.edu/kids_and_families.html.

Boston Arboretum

http://arboretum.harvard.edu/visit/family-activities/

The second step in helping children learn from their experiences is to talk with them about their thinking. Frequently, the questions adults ask set the stage for children.  If we want children to make meaning for themselves, the first principle is to let the children know that there is no “wrong” answer.  We want them to come up with their own explanations, not merely remember what they might have heard.  We also want them to fit what they are thinking into a larger picture. On occasion, we might need to clarify misunderstandings, but it is the thinking process that is the focus.  Before leaving home, ask your children what they already know about a topic and what they would like to find out.  When you return home, a natural follow up includes questions such as, “Now what do you know? Was that important? Why do you think that was important? What do you think you will remember most about…?  Why?”

Whether you plan an elaborate trip away, decide to explore opportunities closer to home, or simply enjoy a dinner together that is less hurried than usual, using the school vacation to support children’s learning is much easier than one might think- and far more fun for everyone. This vacation, have a wonderful, relaxed, learning “time” with your children.